Relief measures: ‘Govt to provide Rs10 billion subsidy on wheat’

LAHORE:

Minister for Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said on Wednesday that the government had provided subsidies in several sectors in its 2015-16 budget.

“These include a Rs10 billion subsidy on wheat, a Rs5 billion Ramazan Package, Rs3.5 billion subsidy on transport and allocation of Rs10.8 billion for the provision of free medicines,” he said.

He said that the government had set up Punjab Social Protection Authority for providing socio-economic protection to the poor. “This authority will start its first project at a cost of Rs2 billion. It will provide scholarships to the disabled people,” he said.

He said the government was utilising funds for development of social sector in the province. “An action plan is being implemented to provide clean drinking water to the people of the province. The required funds have been provided for this purpose,” he said. He said that clean drinking water was essential for checking the spread of fatal diseases such as hepatitis and typhoid.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2015.